Movie Night
/Having a Friday night in? We recommend a movie, a bottle of wine, and some popcorn. What type of movie? One about wine of course! There are many movies about wine out there to choose from and on Fridays we will share one with you that we have seen and enjoyed. You get the popcorn and let Qorkz send you the wine! This week we are taking a break from our regularly scheduled wine movies to bring you one of our Thanksgiving favorites.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Charlie Brown and Sally are preparing to go to their grandmother's place for Thanksgiving dinner when Charlie Brown gets a phone call from Peppermint Patty, who invites herself over to Charlie Brown's house for the holiday dinner. Two quick subsequent phone calls add Marcie and Franklin to the guest list, and since Charlie Brown cannot get a word in edgewise with Patty, he quickly finds himself in a quandary with no easy solution—at least not until Linus shows up.
Linus suggests to Charlie Brown that he could have two dinners: the first one for Patty and her friends, and then the second one at his grandmother's home.
The guests arrive and make their way to the backyard for the Thanksgiving feast. Linus leads the group in prayer. Snoopy serves up the food, throwing the plates to each guest Frisbee-style. Each person gets two slices of buttered toast, and a handful each of pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans.
At first Patty is shocked, but her shock quickly turns to outrage, and she angrily berates Charlie Brown for the supposed meal. Embarrassed and dejected, Charlie Brown timidly leaves the table and goes back into the house. Patty's tirade continues until Marcie gently reminds her that Charlie Brown didn't invite her, but that she invited herself, Marcie and Franklin. Coming to her senses, Patty asks Marcie to go and apologize to Charlie Brown on her behalf. Marcie reluctantly does so, but Patty soon follows her and apologizes to Charlie Brown herself.
In the midst of the quasi-feast, Charlie Brown loses track of time; The clock strikes four, reminding him that he and Sally are supposed to be at their grandmother's home for dinner in half an hour. So he calls his grandmother to explain his situation. When he mentions that his friends haven't eaten yet, his grandmother suggests that he bring all his friends with him for Thanksgiving dinner; the idea is welcomed with cheers from everyone.
Wine Pairing
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is all about friends, family, and giving thanks. In that light, bring mom a bottle of wine this Thanksgiving to show her your appreciation. For my mother, that would be a bottle of her favorite varietal Semillon, specifically the Coruce Semillon $20.97. She loves this gold medal winner for it's big white fruit flavors and balanced acidity.
Film Critic
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a great representation of Thanksgiving and how sometimes the meaning behind the holiday gets lost. While every other character in the program is worried about the logistics of Thanksgiving and planning the meal, Linus stands in stark contrast reminding everyone of the history and purpose of the holiday. When Sally asks "Why should I give thanks on Thanksgiving? What do I have to be thankful for?" Linus responds "Sally, Thanksgiving is a very important holiday. Ours was the first country in the world to make a national holiday to give thanks"
Linus gives further history and meaning of the holiday in his Thanksgiving prayer: In the year 1621, the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast. They invited the great Indian chief Massasoit, who brought ninety of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food. Governor William Bradford and Captain Miles Standish were honored guests. Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this: 'We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land. We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice."
Why We Love It
Aside from simply being a classic that we all know, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving reminds us of two very important things. First, to give thanks for family, friends, health, safety, and all the blessings of the year. Second, it reminds us that you have two families in your life, the one you were born with and the one you choose. It asks us to appreciate our friends those around us that we see everyday that help us make it through the year. This Thanksgiving season, raise a glass with your chosen family and let them know you appreciate them and all they do for you.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
